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<h1><a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23804539">Twaddle</a> by <a class='authorlink' href='https://archiveofourown.org/users/notjustmom/pseuds/notjustmom'>notjustmom</a></h1>

<table class="full">

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Words: the Marvel Edition [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Category:</b></td><td>Doctor Strange (2016), Iron Man (Movies), Marvel Cinematic Universe</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Genre:</b></td><td>Established Tony Stark/Stephen Strange</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Language:</b></td><td>English</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Status:</b></td><td>Completed</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Published:</b></td><td>2020-04-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Updated:</b></td><td>2020-04-23</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Packaged:</b></td><td>2021-05-03 00:34:36</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Rating:</b></td><td>Not Rated</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Warnings:</b></td><td>No Archive Warnings Apply</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Chapters:</b></td><td>1</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Words:</b></td><td>712</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Publisher:</b></td><td>archiveofourown.org</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Story URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/works/23804539</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Author URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/users/notjustmom/pseuds/notjustmom</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Summary:</b></td><td><div class="userstuff">
              <p>and in an MCU verse... fits in the One More Vow world. Peter is 4. </p><p>A bit of angst with a touch of fluff.</p>
            </div></td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Relationships:</b></td><td>Tony Stark/Stephen Strange</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series:</b></td><td>Words: the Marvel Edition [9]</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Series URL:</b></td><td>https://archiveofourown.org/series/1425202</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Comments:</b></td><td>8</td></tr>

<tr><td><b>Kudos:</b></td><td>43</td></tr>

</table>

<a name="section0001"><h2>Twaddle</h2></a>
<div class="story"><div class="fff_chapter_notes fff_head_notes"><b>Author's Note:</b><ul class="associations">


        <li>
            Inspired by

            <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/works/23803150">Twaddle</a> by <a href="https://archiveofourown.org/users/notjustmom/pseuds/notjustmom">notjustmom</a>.
        </li>

    </ul></div><div class="userstuff module">
    
    <p>"Stephen."</p><p>"I'm fine, Chrissy."</p><p>"You're not. You knew the odds were -"</p><p>"Yeah, had to try, didn't I?"</p><p>Christine smiled at him and nodded. "Before -"</p><p>"Before?"</p><p>"Before you met Stark, you never would have taken on a case like that."</p><p>He smiled sadly at her and kissed her forehead. "Yeah, well, guess I'm just getting sentimental in my old age."</p><p>"Stop it. Go home."</p><p>"I'm fine."</p><p>"You're not, go home, I'll take care of your other procedure."</p><p> </p><p>Stephen slipped into Tony's workshop, and sighed as he dropped onto the couch. Tony was in the midst of an update on his latest armor, spouting twaddle about something or other, as he always did, and he soon lost track of the conversation he was having with Jarvis and drifted off to sleep in spite of himself.</p><p>"Sunshine?" </p><p>He opened his eyes to find Tony threading his fingers through his hair, a worried look in his normally smiling eyes. He didn't say another word, just sat there holding him, waiting for him to speak.</p><p>"That case, the one I told you about last night -"</p><p>Tony nodded.</p><p>"I failed."</p><p>"You knew the odds-" Tony started, then saw the look in his eyes. "It's your first," he whispered.</p><p>Stephen nodded. "Before. I never would've even tried a procedure like that, I would have rejected it out of hand, I knew even if I did everything perfectly, there was a chance -"</p><p>Again, Tony waited for him to go on.</p><p>"She didn't wake up from the anesthesia. All I could see was you."</p><p>"I'm sorry, Sunshine."</p><p>Stephen reached up and touched his face, as if making sure he was really there and in one piece, then his hand dropped from Tony's face and he closed his eyes again. "I'm not, I had to try. I don't want to talk anymore, if that's okay." </p><p>"Fine. I'll just talk then, if that's okay. First of all, this morning, you know what your son did after you left?"</p><p>"Now he's my son?" Stephen turned to look into Tony's face and sighed as the first tear slipped down his cheek. </p><p>Tony gently wiped it away, then leaned down to kiss his forehead. "He left a lovely masterpiece on the wall of his playroom - he did it when I thought he was napping - I was just about to fall asleep when I heard his squeal of glee. I left it up so you can see it later, it's quite something." He bit his lip and cleared his throat. "It's okay to mourn her loss, Stephen. You did everything you could."</p><p>Stephen shook his head. "You don't know -"</p><p>"Yes. I do. Because you always do, and you cared about her."</p><p>"What if - what if that is why I failed this time? Because I cared?"</p><p>"It's not how it works, Sunshine. Last night you explained to me all the reasons why the surgery wouldn't work, and yet, you tried because you were her last chance. Sometimes, sometimes, no matter what you do -"</p><p>Stephen lifted his hand again and placed a single finger on Tony's lips and shook his head again. "I know, doll-face. Will you help me up and show me Peter's newest masterpiece?"</p><p>Tony leaned down and kissed him again, then stood up and helped him to his feet. "It's actually quite brilliant - he told me it was Iron Man fighting a dragon while eating an ice cream cone."</p><p>"Multitasking, naturally," Stephen whispered, as he slipped his hand into Tony's.</p><p>"Naturally. The dragon is quite fierce, and somehow I'm able to balance three scoops, and they aren't even melting." </p><p>Stephen couldn't help but laugh as he followed him out of the workshop and onto the elevator. "You are a superhero, you know. You can do anything."</p><p>Tony looked over at him and smiled sadly, "Not always, Sunshine, sometimes -" Stephen sighed and wrapped his arms around him as Tony leaned against him. "Even I can't save everyone."</p><p>"You saved me, you know, the day we met."</p><p>"No." </p><p>"Yes, you did, and you keep doing it, every single day, even when you aren't wearing your armor."</p><p>Tony looked up at him and shook his head.</p><p>"Every single day." Stephen whispered, then moved his hands up to cradle Tony's face and kissed him softly before repeating, "Every single day."</p>
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